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Friday, June 2, 2017

Birthday Poem inspired by e.e. cummings & Kwame Alexander & Yoda

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Buffy's Blog for Roundup.

I'm in with a quick birthday poem for my sweet husband, whose birthday is today! I was inspired to write it after reading Kwame Alexander's e.e. cummings-inspired poem in OUT OF WONDER.

I love the risks e.e. cummings took with his work, how unique and unrestrained... I tell kids all the time how one thing that draws me to poetry is how there really are no rules... e.e. cummings is a great example of that! Plus his sometimes-backwards way of phrasing things reminds me of Yoda. :)

16 comments:

What a beautiful post....on craft....and yet just the poems too. You make me want to try this. The image of blowing breath across oceans to my seashell ear is so pretty...and ticklish ....exquisite. I always learn something here, Irene. That is after I've said, "wow!" to the sights and sounds.

Love abounds this Poetry Friday! I love Kwame's "walk on magic love rugs" and that you took the time for your husband to work at this "new" thing, and write the love into your poem is wonderful, Irene. Love each part, and this "in my rivers a thousand thank yous".

What a wonderful trio--e.e., Kwame, and you! Love reading all three together. Fun fact: When I was in 8th grade (and Irene probably not yet a glimmer in her parents' eyes) Mrs. Pool had us choose a poem to share with our English class. I chose e.e. cummings' i carry your heart. (Mrs. Pool was not impressed--I think she gave me a C because lack of punctuation and not really a poet, etc. And Buffy should really try not to write.) I'm so happy to read this poem again today--and to razzle Mrs. Pool and wish happy birthday to your hubby!

It took me a while to warm to e. e. cummings - as a young reader I just couldn't wrap my head around the strange spacing and punctuation, and the lack of structure and rules made me uncomfortable. Now that I'm older (and a bit wiser), I've learned to embrace poets who are willing to let their spirits shine through their words - life is too short to conform to other people's poetic expectations! :-)

Irene, I have always been a fan of cummings and of course, my friend, Kwame. I have heard Kwame recite his love poems many times but this one is different because it is cummings-like. Now, yours flows along with the others. When you wrote, stick a candle in every islandblow your sweet breath acrossoceans into my seashell ear I swooned by the sheer beauty of the way those words sounded. Happy Birthday to your husband and many thanks for trying to be part of the NCFL conference. I will miss you but then again, I will see you at NCTE.

What a gift you have created for your husband. I am sure he will treasure it, as your heart is embedded throughout. Happy Birthday wishes! -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/blog/

OUt of Wonder is one of those must have books that I can come back to again and again. This tryptic is so wonderful. Happy birthday to your husband. I am swooning over the words "stick a candle in every islandblow your sweet breath acrossoceans into my seashell ear" Magical and meaningful!

Thanks for this lovely escape into e.e. cummings and both of your inspired fun poems Irene; what a treat these all are, I'm ready to dance up in the clouds! I love the word play your've created with water–oceans, Islands, and all.

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"Err on the side of love." - my Mama

"Life isn't about finding yourself.Life is about creating yourself."- Anonymous

“Love. Fall in love and stay in love. Write only what you love,and love what you write.The key word is love.You have to get up in the morning and write something you love, something to live for.”- Ray Bradbury